


Nur ein Wort (just one word)

by curl



Series: With You [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Keith doesn't know how to deal with his feelings, M/M, POV Lance (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-19 22:10:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10649055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curl/pseuds/curl
Summary: After kissing Lance in an emotional moment, Keith is acting odd and Lance doesn't understand why.





	Nur ein Wort (just one word)

**Author's Note:**

> sequel to "Lions in cages" (i recommend reading it before this but it should be understandable on its own)
> 
> title taken from the song Nur ein Wort by Wir sind Helden

_"..Can you do me a favor now?", he asked as his eyes jumped between Lance's._  
_Lance held his gaze. "Depends."  
Keith opened his mouth, but hesitated before he asked, "Can you kiss me and not question it?" _

_Lance did not answer. Instead he leaned in, pulling Keith closer at the same time, and pressed their lips together, cautious and gentle._

*

"I think this was the best shower I have ever taken," Lance said when he entered the dining room.  
Everyone else was already sitting at the table, chowing down some food goo.  
"You've certainly taken your sweet time," Hunk commented with a teasing smile. He didn't mean anything by it, he was probably just happy that his best friend was alive and well.  
Lance took the only free seat next to Keith and shrugged, "It's not like the food's going anywhere."  
"Probably," Pidge added under her breath and stabbed her portion with a spork. Much like Lance, she still didn't seem to be used to the strange diet.

Right now, though, Lance felt like he could eat the castleship's entire supply. After spending a couple of hours in a Galra prison he had gotten a newfound appreciation for.. basically everything that wasn't out to kill him.

He and Keith had been captured during a fight but they escaped and Team Voltron ultimately won the battle.  
It was a close call and now Lance was starving.  
Luckily, the food goo hardly needed any chewing.

He glanced over at Keith, who was eating with considerably less enthusiasm than him. Ever since they had returned to the castle, he had barely said a word.  
It could have been because the day had been exhausting, but Lance suspected that there was another reason he was being so quiet.

In the prison cell Keith had asked Lance for a kiss.  
When Lance had practically given up, they talked, and got emotional, and got close. Keith had shown him a side of him that Lance knew had to exist, but didn't think he would ever get to see.  
And when they kissed, Lance knew he had to keep fighting. For his family, for the universe, for Keith.

Lance hadn't taken so long to shower because he liked the weird Altean shower stalls so much, but because he needed the time to put on his typical confident attitude.  
He, too, was nervous, but he tried not to let it show. The others didn't need to know that it was Keith, of all people, who made his knees weak and his heart race.

How was he supposed to act around Keith from now on? A kiss didn't mean that they were dating, did it? Or did Keith just see it as a one-time-thing that had happened in the heat of the moment?  
It was probably best to just talk about it, but he wasn't sure if Keith wanted to bring it up at all, or if he preferred to never speak of it again.  
After all, they had sort of agreed not to question it... but Lance couldn't help it. Why ask for a kiss, of all things?  
Lance wondered if there was more to it. If, in that moment, it had mattered at all to Keith _who_ it was that kissed him, or if it just happened to be Lance.  
Had he been to quick to think that something could develop between them?

Lance felt a lump forming in his throat and quickly gulped down a few bites to make it go away.  
Next to him Keith put down his spork, even though he had barely touched his food, and said, "I think I'm going to bed, it's been kind of a long day."

Lance watched him leave the room, wondering what was going on in his head, and why he hadn't looked at him at all since their return. Did he perhaps think the kiss was a mistake?  
Because to Lance it certainly wasn't. Maybe he was being too dramatic about it, but to him it felt like the kiss had saved him.

"Is it me or is he acting weird?", Hunk asked.  
"Well, he _did_ get captured by the Galra, so I'd say it's understandable," Pidge remarked.  
Shiro furrowed his eyebrows. "Maybe I should go talk to him." He turned to Lance, "Has anything in particular happened?"  
All eyes were now on Lance and he tried not let them notice how flustered he was becoming. "No, we were just chilling in a cell with the other prisoners. He's.. he's probably just tired. I'm sure he'll be his brooding emo self again in no time."  
Shiro didn't seem convinced, but let the matter rest for now.

 

That night Lance hardly slept. He was lying in his bed, tempted to just go to Keith's room and ask him what he was thinking about the kiss, what it meant to him, if it meant anything to him at all.  
Because it meant everything to Lance.  
He had never had a crush as serious as this one. He didn't even know what hit him when it hit him. After all, Keith was supposed to be his rival, the one who was always slightly better at everything, until Lance would eventually come out on top and all the ladies would throw themselves at him. Like in the movies.  
But in reality he just wanted to be Keith's equal, his partner, his friend.. his boyfriend..  
And his womanizer act was only to cover up the fact that he had no idea how to flirt with a boy.

Embarrassed by his own thoughts, Lance covered his face with his hands.

At one point during the night Lance even got up and was about to go to Keith, but he chickened out. He didn't like talking about his feelings, and he sure as hell didn't feel ready to confess when it seemed like Keith regretted what had happened between them.

 

The next morning Lance was dead-tired, and he told himself that he was completely overthinking things, that Keith probably just needed a good night's rest and that everything was going to be fine.  
But apparently it wasn't.

Throughout the day Keith hardly acknowledged Lance's presence.  
For their training the paladins were fighting against a bunch of robots and while everyone was doing fine, Keith seemed to have trouble focusing.  
As did Lance, but he was better at covering it up.  
When Keith was cornered by some robots, Lance quickly took them out with headshots.  
He blew the smoke from the barrel of his bayard and smirked at Keith. "Looks like I just saved your ass." After all, showing off usually got a reaction out of Keith.  
But instead of answering, he just glanced at Lance, furrowed his eyebrows and jumped back into battle.

 

For several days nothing changed. Lance kept trying to get Keith to talk to him, or at least to get any kind of reaction out of him.  
He challenged Keith to race him, or bragged extra obnoxiously near Keith when he did something cool.  
Most of the time, though, Keith flat out ignored him.

Lance missed him, missed interacting with him. It was like they were back at square one, or even further, back when Keith didn't even know he existed.

When Hunk made a bunch of weirdly colored pastries, Lance loaded his plate and said, "Hey, Keith, I bet I can eat more of these than you!"  
Keith huffed, and without looking at Lance he responded, "I don't care."  
This hurt even more than any insult Keith could throw at him, but he tried telling himself that it was a good thing, because at least Keith said _something_.  
The others, having picked up on Keith's odd behavior during the last few days, gave Lance questioning looks.  
Lance cast down his eyes and took a bite out of a pastry despite his appetite being pretty much gone, but regretted it instantly because it tasted worse than orange juice after brushing your teeth.

 

Hunk had to throw all the food away, but he went right back to the kitchen to try again. Lance and Pidge joined him, keeping him company while pretending to help.

Not that Keith was usually very talkative, but it was glaringly obvious to everyone that he was giving Lance the cold shoulder.  
Lance didn't address the situation during their otherwise casual conversation, but Hunk and Pidge knew it was bothering him.

"Maybe you should just talk to him," Hunk suggested, but Lance just gave him a discontented groan.  
"Are you sure you didn't do something to piss him off?", Pidge asked.  
"You do piss him off quite a lot. He's never been mad for long, though," Hunk added.  
Lance bit his bottom lip and looked anywhere but his friends. "It.. it might be different this time," he said, still uncertain about whether he wanted to talk about it or not.  
"Lance, what did you do?", Pidge asked, sounding slightly reproachful.  
The two of them looked at him expectantly.  
"Well, when we were on the Galra ship, I kinda.. sorta.. kissed him," Lance answered, eyes jumping up at them nervously to see their reaction.  
They stared at him for a few moments, processing the information, and Hunk was the first to speak, "You did what."  
"What the fuck, Lance, you can't just kiss people!", Pidge said before Lance could respond, "Even you should know that!"  
"Hey, he asked me to!", Lance retorted and crossed his arms. His face was flushed and he stuck out his bottom lip.

"I-I thought it means that.. that he likes me," he then said quietly, "but now he's acting like I'm not even there."  
Hunk gave him a sympathetic look, which turned into a smirk when he stepped to his side. "Looks like somebody's in lo-"  
Lance punched him in the shoulder lightly before he could finish. "Yeah, yeah, shut up," he mumbled, but couldn't suppress a shy smile.  
Then he sighed and let his shoulders drop. "What should I do?"  
"Dude, you should definitely talk to him," Hunk answered.  
Lance looked at him doubtfully. "What if he thinks it was a mistake? He probably regrets it and that's why he won't talk to me."  
"I'm not so sure about that," Pidge thought out loud and shrugged, "He doesn't strike me as the kind of person that just kisses people for no reason."  
"There's only one way to find out, buddy," Hunk said and put a hand on Lance's shoulder.

Their conversation was interrupted when the kitchen door slid open and Keith stepped inside.  
"Allura wants us all to meet on the bridge," he announced.  
The three of them looked at Keith, who seemed to notice that something was off, but when they didn't move or respond he added, "Right now," and turned around.  
"Keith, wait," Lance said, not sure where he was going with it.  
Keith hesitated, but then walked away anyway.  
Lance looked down to hide his face. "Jerk.."

 

Everyone gathered around Allura to listen to a new strategy she and Shiro had come up with.  
"In this formation, all five of you fly in a straight line to-"  
Lance didn't let her finish and said, "All five of us? That's funny, because according to Keith I don't exist apparently."  
His hurt had turned into anger. Why, why would Keith treat him like garbage?

Keith crossed his arms and kept staring straight ahead.  
Before anyone could say something to deescalate the situation, Lance took a step towards him.  
"What, am I that bad of a kisser that you can't even look at me?!"  
He slammed his mouth shut when he realized what he had just said with everyone present.

"That's it," Allura said, her voice taking on a commanding tone, "You two are going to work this out right now. We can't have it affecting Voltron."  
"There's nothing to work out!", Keith protested, but Shiro called his name and looked at him firmly.

Everyone shuffled out of the room, leaving Lance and Keith behind.

"Just say whatever it is you have to say so we can get this over with," Keith huffed, not moving in the slightest.  
"Are you kidding me?!", Lance snarled, "At least look at me _now_!"  
He felt anger rise inside of him and drew in sharp and shaky breaths to keep himself from crying.

Finally, Keith looked up, albeit hesitantly. He seemed not to have expected Lance to look the way he did, with a red face and tear-filled eyes, and he swallowed.  
Lance held his gaze. "You're really not going to say anything?" He looked at Keith with incomprehension. "Are you just going to ignore me for the rest of our lives?" He shook his head. "No, you know what? The kiss was _your_ idea! You don't get to be mad!"

"I'm not mad," Keith answered and creased his eyebrows, seemingly confused.  
"What?" Lance raised his eyebrows and threw his hands in the air dramatically. "Then what the fuck is going on with you?"  
Keith's eyes jumped from side to side, like he was looking for exits. It took im a while to answer in which Lance kept staring at him impatiently. "I'm just, I-I'm.. embarrassed." He lowered his head to hide his reed cheeks.

Lance didn't respond, he didn't understand. He looked at Keith expectantly, waiting for an explanation.  
Keith seemed to get the hint and clenched his fists when he spoke on, eyes still cast down, "It's like I served you my.. my feelings.. on a silver platter," he was talking quietly, "I just wanted to spare myself the hurt."

"You think I'd hurt you?", Lance muttered, though more to himself. He had to admit, it wasn't too far-fetched that Keith would think that. He probably should have been nicer to him in the past.

"So it.. it meant something to you?", he asked.  
Keith glanced up, but couldn't hold Lance's gaze for long. "Of course it did!" He crossed his arms again. "Why do you think I asked in the first place?"

"Well, initially I assumed that.. that you like me.. or something.." Lance mumbled, voice getting more quiet with every word, "But then you just.. shut me out and I-I thought.. I don't know what I thought.." He could barely look at Keith, blinking hastily against the tears. "I don't understand," he said, shaking his head slowly, "If you don't want to be with me you should have just said so."

Keith hesitated.  
"I'm sorry," he said and put a hand over his mouth, as if that would keep his feelings from spilling out. "I'm sorry," he repeated, his voice slightly muffled. "I didn't know- I didn't- I was scared, I-" He broke off, taking a few deep breaths to compose himself as his hand sank to his side again.  
"The thought of you.. feeling the same just seemed so.. unlikely to me."  
Keith shrugged as if trying to downplay the situation, but a tear fell down his cheek when he looked up at the ceiling. "I was scared you were just gonna break my heart."

Lance took a few steps towards Keith until he was standing directly in front of him and said, "Keith, I wouldn't have held your hand.. and kissed you if I didn't want to." His hands hovered over Keith's upper body, unsure if he was allowed touch him. "Because I did. I do."

"I really messed up, didn't I?", Keith asked, although he could already guess the answer.  
Lance snorted snidely, wiping over his eyes with his sleeve. "Yeah, you did."  
"I'm sorry," Keith said again and sniffled, "I guess I was being selfish.. I didn't mean for you to get hurt."

Lance looked at Keith, at his reddened cheeks, his tear-filled eyes, his slightly opened mouth, and lifted his hand, hesitantly placing it on the side of Keith's face.  
Keith closed his eyes, leaning into the touch cautiously.  
"It's okay.. now..", Lance muttered, "Just don't do something like that again."  
Keith nodded and Lance stepped closer, until the were only inches apart.  
He took Keith's face in both hands and leaned in to brush their noses together, and he lifted his chin to kiss Keith gently on the forehead.  
Still with closed eyes Keith put his hands on top of Lance's, holding on to them slightly.  
Lance kept placing soft kisses onto Keith's face, his cheeks, and kissed his tears away.

Suddenly, Keith jerked forward and wrapped his arms around Lance's torso, burrying his face in the crook of Lance's neek.  
Lance smiled to himself and closed his arms around Keith, holding him close.


End file.
